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Food security was a key driver behind the development of the current framework governing the law of the sea. This matters for why–and how–the Chinese are contesting claims in the South China Sea.
Photo courtesy of Reuters.

I. Introduction In 2012, the U.S. Congress passed the FAA Revitalization and Reform Act which among other provisions called for the integration of drones into the U.S. national airspace. While the statutory provision was an attempt to meet the needs of an emerging industry which includes the defense sector, Congress inadvertently failed to examine many of the potential problems relating […]

Data travels across the globe instantly, but the current system for sharing information across jurisdictions is inadequate. Here’s why we need reform, and what that reform should look like. By Jonah Force Hill.

The military’s restricted reporting policy for sexual assaults–permitting members of the armed services to seek help without initiating a formal investigation–has helped victims and investigators alike. But state law exceptions, like California’s, counteract some of these gains. Here’s why, and how, the exception should be overturned.

Tony Carr* As Congress returns for a lame-duck session that promises to be equal parts theatrical and unproductive, President Obama is making a promise of his own: to pursue a new Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) legitimizing action against ISIS. Notwithstanding the division and skepticism of the current political moment, the AUMF represents a critical opportunity […]

By Brandt Pasco* A signature national security priority of President Barack Obama’s Administration, and an area that has generated rare broad-based bipartisan support, is export control reform. At the request of Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, in August 2009 President Obama directed the National Security Council and National Economic Council to jointly review the overall export control system.[1] Now five […]

Daniel D’Isidoro* Introduction Members of the intelligence community receive different whistleblower protections than most federal employees, in large part due to the classified nature of their work. Though recent reforms have sought to shore up whistleblower protections, regulatory gaps remain. The following piece explores some of those gaps through examples, and suggests reforms to address them. Needed reforms include providing […]

By Louis René Beres* In early 2014, Washington and Moscow competed openly for influence in Egypt: Putin even promised expansive arms packages to now-President Sisi. With this in mind, Sisi is apt to play the U.S. and Russia off against each other, a cold war strategy that has implications for Israel’s security doctrine, including perhaps its nuclear doctrine.(1) Israel operates […]

About NSJ

The Harvard National Security Journal (NSJ) is a student-edited online journal dedicated to improving scholarship and discourse in the field of national security. The field of national security has grown significantly over the past several years, with a corresponding demand for critical scholarly analysis on its legal and policy dimensions.

The HLS – Brookings Project

The NSJ is affiliated with the Harvard Law School - Brookings Project on Law and Security. Please visit the project website and that of our sister publication, Lawfare.